The Reason (Sequel)
by Kirisuna.SAO
Summary: An AU starting episode 14 after the events of my other fanfic ‘The Reason'. If anyone wants to suggest a title please do so.
1. chapter 1

A/N: Before the story, I would like to thank everyone who read, favorited, followed and reviewed. Especially yoy Harvzy for inspiring me in the first place and you Goodalwayswins98 for getting my point of view.

This story is a direct sequel to 'The Reason' so if you havent read it, suggest you go and do so before reading this.

Disclaimer: SAO is owned by Reki who could be a prophet.

"We will" Kirito and Asuna said to Kayaba before the light engulfed and logged them out.When they were logged out, Kayaba looked at Aincrad and saw the Ruby Palace crumbling, he opened his menu and his brow furrowed.

In a hospital room, a 17 year old boy opened his eyes for the first time in 2 years. He looked at his frail hands. The first thought that came to his mind was 'Asuna'. He was about to get up but he remembered his time with Kayaba, knowing she was safe, he relaxed himself and took of his Nervegear. He felt his hair had grown long but he didn't care, he kept thinking of his final minuites in SAO. Kayabas side of the story. What should he feel? How should he feel? He was mad that he got trapped in that game. Of death? He wasn't so sure now. Yes he was trapped in Aincrad, yes he was forced to clear 100 floors. But he also changed, in a way that could not happen in this world. He found friends, worked together, laughed and cried with them together, he also changed himself, from a shut-in, selfish, otaku gamer, to a mature, principled man. But most importantly, he fell in love, true love, with someone he thought he could never meet, someone who was cold and untrusting when they partied at floor 1 was the same person who sacrificed herself for him on floor 75, someone who he doesn't know her real name. 'Oh my god, we married and I don't even know her real name' Kazuto widened his eyes but soon calmed down thinking 'No, it's only proper that we tell our real names here, in the same world we got them' He thought. Kazuto looked around the room and knew he was in a hospital. He was about to lie back down and rest when several nurses came in and assesed his physical condition.

After being assesed and said that he was- relatively- okay, Kazuto just lied in bed, thinking of everything thats happened in 2 years.

A man was filing paperwork when he heard his phone ring.

"Hello? Seigirou Kikuo speaking."

"Seigirou-san" a nurse said on the other end of the line.

"What is it, Aki-san?"

"They're all waking up, the SAO victims, the game has been cleared."

Kikuo was shocked at this news.

"Is he awake as well?"

"Yes, we've examined him and he's in a stable condition"

"Very well, I'll be right there."

After hanging up, he grabbed a few things and headed to the hospital.

When Kikuo entered the room, he saw several nurses doing maintenance on the medical equipment of none other than the one who cleared the game. Nurse Aki saw him and said "We've just finished maintenance, you can see him now" She signalled the other nurses to leave the room. When it was just the two of them, Kikuo decided to speak first "Hello sir, my name is Kikuo Seijirou of the SAO incident task force."

Kazuto questioned "SAO incident task force?"

"Not that we could react in any way. So, your name is Kirigaya Kazuto? and your game name was Kirito? Am I right?"

"Yes"

"Well then, I'm sorry that I came here so soon, but I just had to get here, I'd like to ask you some questions, while your memory is still fresh, is that okay with you?"

Kazuto was getting a little uneasy right now "Is this an interrogation?"

Kikuo smiled at this "Technically it is, but I'm not your typical interrogator who just asks questions then leaves, I'd like to actually talk to you, Kirigaya-san."

Kazuto felt some comfort in that

"Okay then, what do you want to know?"

"Okay then, lets start with the basic questions, what happened on your first day in SAO?"--

After answering all the basic questions, Kikuo said "Now that thats over, can you tell me anything that happened exclusively to you?"

Kazuto realized something and tried to get something out of this interview.

"For that information, I would like something in return."

Kikuo was surprised at this " What do you want?"

"I'd like to know the location of someone."

"Who?"

"Someone I met in the game, named Asuna"

"Ohh, friend of yours?"

"Yes, and unless you give it to me, I wont say another word" Kazuto stated

"No need to get angry, we would gladly give you the location of someone you met in the game but we need their permission first. Asuna, was it? I'll remember it and ask my co-workers to find her"

"Arigato" Kazuto said

"It's no prob-"

Kikuo's phone vibrates.

"I'm sorry, hello? huh? who? really? yes, give it to her, wait one second"

"Umm, Kirigaya-san, I think theres someone who wants to talk to you. Here" Kikuo puts his phone on his ear since Kazuto is still weak.

"Hello?"

"Yes, is this Kirito?"

"Yes"

"Do you happen to know a girl named Asuna?"

"Yes, is she there?"

"She says she wants to know where you are, should I tell her?"

"Please sir, put her on the phone, I'll tell her myself"

"Very well"

After a few seconds, He heard her voice.

"Kirito-kun?"

"Asuna" his voice broke and he was now crying

"Kirito-kun, its really you" her voice was now also breaking and sobs could be heard.

"Yes, it's me, before I forget, where do you live?"

"I live in Setagaya but, for obvious reasons, I'm in the hospital."

"Yeah, me too, I live in Kawagoe, and don't worry Asuna, once I can walk, I'll come back to you." Kazuto assured

"Not if I get back on my feet first" Asuna jokingly challenged.

"I'll bet you 1000 Cor- I mean Yen, that I'll be the one to visit you" Kazuto accepted

"You're on"

Kikuo coughed loudly

"Eh, sorry Asuna, but I have to go,I promise I'll find you"

"Arigato, Kirito-kun, I can't wait to meet you" Asuna said cheerfully

"Bye"

"Bye"

Kikuo put the phone back in his pocket "So, speak of the devil" He grinned.

"Yeah, so what do you want to know?"

"Anything really" Kikuo said

Kazuto kept thinking of something, then

- _Let me tell you some stuff thats not on any website at all_ -

- _I'm not asking for forgiveness, I'm not even asking you to understand, you can hate me just like the public will. I just wanted to let you know_ -

"Right before I woke up, before I logged out" Kazuto breathed "I got the oppurtunity to talk to Kayaba Akihiko"

A/N: This may seem rushed because it is, I'm trying to get to the main part where they meet and the plot really begins. I'm not sure on my updating frequency but I can guarantee that a chapter wil come out every 3 weeks. Please read and review. Till next chapter.


	2. chapter 2

A/N: So heres another chapter for you all, thank you to everyone who has favorited, followed and reviewed

Troubled.Loner: I hope I wont dissapoint you.

CantPickAName: maybe I will do something on Ordinal Scale but this is an AU and I want to focus on ALO first.

"Excuse me, you what?" Kikuo said in shock, keeping his voice down as not to attract attention.

Kirito thought carefully on his words for Kayaba's image sake, he may have despised him during SAO but he still admired him for creating it and after hearing 'something that's not on any website' he has grown to respect the man.

"Yes, right before I woke up, I died killing his avatar, when I opened my eyes, I was on some invisible platform, after being reunited with Asuna, the girl I was just on the phone with, we looked around and saw Aincrad crumbling down, and out of nowhere, he showed up and gave a speech that forever changed my view on things."

"But what?" Kikuo asked, bewildered and lost "What could that monster have said to you?"

 _'I made SAO to warn the people so that they can open their eyes yet in doing so, everyone will label me as 'killer' or 'psychopath' or some other form of that description'_

 _'He really thought this all out, didn't he?'_ Kazuto thought.

"After hearing his side, I don't know what to call him anymore. To sum it all up, he created Sword Art Online to warn us all about the dangers of this world, regardless of our technology, and that technology would be the very thing that would be the cause of our destruction. He said that we are all ignorant, and from that ignorance, we learn to hate, despise, and fear, he said that it was the human condition and that it will never change. He created SAO to open our eyes and delay our imminent doom, I don't know what to think about him but one thing I am certain about, was that he thought about all of it way more longer than I know."

There he said it, he decided to leave Kayabas other reason thinking it was too personal for him.

"That's-" Kikuo paused, also stunned at what he just heard. After some time...

"Thank you for your time" and with those words Kikuo stood up and exited the room.

Back at his workplace, Kikuo was bewildered in seeing troubled looks on the faces of his co-workers.

"What's wrong everyone?" he asked

"Kikuo-san, there's still something wrong" one of his co-workers answered "We've received reports of some of the victims still not waking up"

Now Kikuo was even more confused "But I just came from an interview with the kid who just killed Kayaba in-game"

"Yeah, all our interviewees also said that the game has been cleared"

"So why are there others still not waking up?"

"We're looking in to it, also the government has kept this top secret."

"And what about Kayaba Akihiko, have we found him, or his body?"

"No, not yet, but let's focus first on finding the cause of these players not waking up, the SAO incident is still not over."

Back at the hospital, Kazuto was still on his bed just thinking about a certain someone, when he heard the door open. He saw two people he hadnt seen in 2 years.

"Onii-chan" one of them ran beside him and was about to tackle him but refrained from doing so after seeing his current state.

"Sugu" Kirito was now smiling and hugged his sister.

At the door was their mother, Midori, carrying a tray with food on it.

"Kazuto, thank god you're safe."

"Okaa-san"

"You must be hungry" Midori asked with tears in her eyes, smiling. Only then did Kauto noticed how empty his tomach felt.

"Yeah, I'd like that" he replied, tears also falling.

Midori set the tray on his lap and began to spoonfeed him.

"We've missed you so much" Suguha said giving him water to help with the food.

"I've missed you too Sugu, you too okaa-san."

"We're just glad you're alive, Kazuto" Midori said giving him another spoonful of food.

"What happened in there?" Sugu asked "was it scary?"

Now that he thought about it, Kayaba could have made the environment and monster skins much more scary than they were, as he was chewing he remembered that ragout rabbit and that it looked cute.

"Not really." he replied "In fact, I think I actually value my time there."

And by 'value' he meant treasure and by 'there' he meant with her.

"What!!!?" Sugu exclaimed "How!?"

"Listen Sugu, okaa-san, I don't regret logging in that day. I really don't. I thought about many things in my time there and I met many people and... I.."

"You what?" Midori asked

"I met her, I realized it just a few hours ago that I don't even know her real name but we meant so much to each other."

"You met a girl?" Midori questioned even further.

"Yes, her name in SAO was Asuna. She was amazing, the vice commander of the Knights of the Blood Oath, the top raiding guild and the Lightning Flash"

"That sounds like a cool title" Midori complimented

"Yeah, it is, and she earned it. And that makes me all the more determined to get back on my feet so I can see her and hold her again, here, in this world."

"Hold her!?" Sugu exclaimed "You fell in love!? In there!?" Midori just opened her eyes in shock that he fell in love in a death game.

"Calm down Sugu. Yes, I also made many friends, one of them was named Klein, I met him on the first day. After showing him the basics, he promised to repay me in that world, and before we got out, he said that he wouldnt forgive me for all the things I did until I treated him in this world. Now that I think about it, we came so far, developed friendships that extended beyond the world of SAO" Kazuto smiled at this but immedietly started crying " But what did I do to deserve them" he was now sobbing "I mean, I left him, abandoned him so I could get an early power spike. I left him to fend for himself AND his guild just so I could get a few hours of grind." Kazuto was now crying so much and the heart monitor was showing his fast heart rate.

"Listen, Kazuto" Midori tried to think of anything to console him "You said that he would never forgive you until you treated him to a meal here right?" She started "Then the answer here is simple. When you meet him here, treat him to a fancy restaurant, and befriend him again here, in this world, start over and get to know about each other."

After calming himself down and thinking about what Midori just said, Kazuto replied "Yeah, that sounds like a good thing to do"

He formed a small smile remembering meeting Klein in the Starting Town, teaching him the ropes. Klein defending him on the First Floor Raid boss. Klein telling him to just survive after getting the revival item, trying to make a move on Asuna on Floor 74 and on Floor 75, him lying on the floor _"Damn it Kirito, why are you apologizing right now, I won't forgive you. I won't forgive you until you treat me to a meal in the real world."_

 _"Yeah, In the real world"_

"Neh, Onii-chan, are you okay?" Sugu asked, seeing him in a daze

Noticing Suguha waving her hand on his face, Kazuto replied "I'm okay, Sugu, just thinking about everything"

After everything that has happened, he has decided on something. "Okaa-san?"

"Hmm?"

"Have you told Sugu the truth? about me?"

"Yes, I have, but I'd like you tell her yourself."

"So you already know Sugu, that we're not really brother and sister?"

"Yes" Sugu started "But that doesn't change anything I see about you. You're still the same person who I went to school with, the same person who practiced kendo with me, the same person who grew up with me, and even though we're only cousins and not siblings, I still love you as family" Sugu said through conviction and tears.

"Arigato Sugu."

"You're still my Onii-chan"

"And you're still my son" Midori said as well. Kazuto only smiled, thankful that he has a great family.

Suddenly a nurse came in to assess Kazuto because of his previous heart rate but was soon explained that he was just emotional. Nurse Aki understood, and left promptly.

After that, Kazuto, Suguha, and Midori spent the rest of the day catching up with each other and Kazuto telling them about his time in SAO, most of which was about Asuna.

"I met her on Floor 1 and we partied after seeing everyone else partying. She was cold and untrusting to me at first but soon came to trust me, but after 'something' I dissolved our party and left her, but unlike Klein, it was for her own good"

"One day I was lying on the grass and she approached me, gave me a speech about being lazy and that I should fight to get back to the real world blah blah"

Sugu and Midori cracked a smile

"Her diligence seems to balance your lazinnes" Midori commented

"Well, when she was about to knock some sense into me, I told her that the weather was at its best and that a day like it would be wasted trying to clear a dungeon. I told her to lie down to see for herself then I slept. When I woke up, she was lying there asleep peacefully, I didn't expect her to follow my instructions so I stayed and watched over her, one thing led to another, we had dinner together, fought beside each other once more and when she saved my life literally, we had fallen in love. We married, hanged out in a log cabin and went fishing and had fun. When it was time to go back to the frontlines, I learned from Asuna that we weren't wasting our days in the real world, we were just spending them there, and that although it was virtual, the world of SAO was still real and so were our experiences and feelings"

Kazuto breathed "We don't even know each others real names, yet we married and lived as a couple"

 _-I got rid of all those things that only hindered humanity and the result was this. Pure human emotion, and at such a young age-_

"Wow, do you have any more stories from SAO?" Sugu asked

"Most of my time was spent grinding monsters so the stories I'll tell you might have some giant timeskips but if you insist then who am I to say no"

A/N: so I am sorry to say this but I am an Asian high school student and next week is our exams. So this fic will be delayed for a week or two so I decided to try and compensate with this slightly longer chapter. Please have patience and thank you for reading. As always, read and review, they just make my day. Until next chapter.


	3. chapter 3

A/N: okay guys, im so sorry, exams just finished and heres another chapter, I appreciate the reciews you've all given me, but I will say it again, this is just a hobby of mine, I will try to write as good as I can, but I just can't find it in me to take this so seriously, anyway, maybe one or two more chapters to straighten and set the characters of the story till the main plotline.

After telling his adventures to his aunt and sister, Kazuto asked if he could get some sleep despite having his eyes shut for 2 years.

"All right, get some rest, we'll be here to watch over you." Midori said

"Thanks mom, Sugu"

"When you finally get back on your feet, I want you to introduce me to this Asuna in person, she seems like a great person from what you told me about her." Midori grinned

Kazuto smiled back "She is mom, which is why I need to go see her before she comes and sees me."

"Alright, now get some sleep"

And with those words, Kazuto slept

3 months later

"Well, it seems that you did really good or that you just really want to get back on your feet." A certain nurse said "Anyway, you're good enough to walk on your own, you can leave today. Congratulations Kirigaya-san, I already called your aunt to pick you up" Nurse Aki said

"Thank you for helping me all the way too Nurse Aki." Kazuto said

"No worries, It's my job"

Nurse Aki saw Midori at the end of the hallway

"Well, looks like your aunt is here. Now I suggest you get out of here, you must be tired of hospital food." Nurse aki joked

"Well, guess I'll be on my way then, again , thanks Nurse Aki" Kazuto said as he waved whilst walking to Midori

"There's a lot that has changed in this city since you all dived"

When they got back Midori remarked "Look at you, on your feet, no longer limping."

"Yeah, and I already have some upper body strength as well, but still, I'm pretty weak"

"Nonsense, just excercise some more and you'll be 100% again in no time."

"Thanks mom, oh and mom?"

"Nani?"

"I'd like permission to go out of town tomorrow"

"You're going to Setagaya aren't you? To go see Asuna?"

Kazuto only smiled "You know me so well, do you?"

"Of course I do, everytime Me and Sugu visit you, you always mention her. You really do love her do you?" Midori asked

"With all my heart, I'd die for her." Kazuto said "She already has for me." A tear fell onto his hand.

Midori could only look at her son and say "My boy has become a man, you were away from us for two years but it's as if you grew 10 years older." She said as her own tears began to fall. After getting herself under control she said

"Alright go see her, I remember you telling me you both had a bet on who would see who first."

-I'll bet you 1000 Cor- I mean yen that I'll be the one to see you-

"Yep, but It doesnt matter. We just did it to give all the more reason to get back up and see each other again.Thank you, for giving me permission"

"But, I have one condition" Midori said "When you find her, you stay with her, help her get back on her feet and bring her with you when you come back, I want to meet the girl who got my otaku gamer son out of his shell."

Kazuto only smiled and replied "Will do mom"

The day after Kazuto had packed everything he needed and headed for Setagaya.After finding the hospital, he was about to enter, he saw a flower shop and a small area with red and white roses. He bought one of each and entered the hospital. He went up to the front desk and said "I'm here to see a SAO survivor" 'The title the public has given us' Kazuto thought "her name is Asuna"

The nurse at the desk courteously asked "name sir please"

"Kirigaya Kazuto"

"please hold one moment"

After lookig through the monitor

"Kirigaya Kazuto, Asuna is currently in room 211, here is your guest ID, and the elevator is over there" the nurse said giving him an ID and pointing to the elevator

"Arigato"

When he arrived at her room, he opened the door and saw her

exactly the same look she had in SAO, her hazel eyes, chestnut hair, Asuna, her eyes were now wide open, he merely smiled, walked up to her.

"Kirito-kun?"

His game name. 'Nope' he thought

He opened his mouth and made the simplest greeting

"Hi there, my name is Kirigaya Kazuto. It's nice ti finally meet you again Asuna."

Asuna giggled, music to his ears

"Hi there, my name is Yuuki Asuna. It's nice to meet you too Kazuto."

No more words were needed, no 'I missed you' or any other cliche love line, they both came together and shared their first kiss in this world. Tears started to fall from their closed eyes. They didn't think of anything else, just the others presence. When they broke the kiss, they looked in each others eyes and saw who they would be spending the rest of their lives with. and as the moon grew brighter, their bodies covered in moonlight. This moment, to both of them, was surreal.

After sitting there, just admiring each other, Kirito finally broke the silence

"By the way, these are for you." Kazuto gave her the roses "They reminded me of your uniform"

"They're beautiful." Asuna said "So Kazuto-kun? I can't believe we married and didn't tell about each others real name until now." she giggled still feeling elated in reconnecting with her husband

"Yeah, so, Yuuki Asuna? You used your real name. Well, thats rare but I'm not complaining. I wouldn't be surprised if you still called me Kirito in this world."

"Which one would you like then?" Asuna asked. To her Kirito seemed better than Kazuto.

"Any name is good really" Kazuto replied

"Then Kirito it is" Asuna said as she hugged.

"Alright then. How are you? Can you walk now?"

"Hey, just because its this world, don't start looking down on me now. Yes, I can walk but I'm still limping which is why I'm still here, the doctor said I can get out of here in 3 days. You wouldn't mind..."

"Helping you out? I already decided on it, or rather my mom told me to do so, she also told me to take you home with me if thats okay with you and your parents that is?" Kazuto asked

"Oh, I totally forgot about that. They're actually coming to visit me right now. You might not want to meet them because you know CEO of a company and all but rather my mom is kind of pessimistic and hard"

"Well I'm going to have to meet them one day, why not now?"

"Well, I can't think of anything, just please help me convince my mom to go with you, my dad and brother are normal, they would accept, I think"

"Sure Asuna, anything for you"

A few minuites later they heard the door open and Asunas mom and dad entered the room. When they entered they first saw Asuna on the bed, then they turned their heads and saw Kazuto,both of which bowed and greeted them good evening.

"Asuna, who is this?" her father asked

"Otou-san, this is Kirigaya Kazuto, or as I like to call him Kirito, he's my boyfriend that I met in SAO"

The two of them fell silent whilst Kazuto just smiled at Asuna, she had brought her vice commander personality she got in SAO back with her.

After the initial surprise her father said "Boyfriend that you met in SAO?"

"Well actually, in SAO he was my husband. But in this world we decided boyfriend and girlfriend would suffice."Asuna said with self confidence, not a single waver in her voice, 'Vice Commander-sama is taking charge, are her parents really that strict? her father seems okay, she did say her mom was the strict one' Kazuto thought

"Asuna, may we have a word with you in private?" It was her mother who spoke up now.

"Whatever you will say to me, you can say to Kirito" she said flatly

"Fine, since he will be here, we can also have his input, first, why did you not tell us that you met someone in SAO?"

"Because you never gave me the chance, when I woke up, you all immedietly made plans to get me back on my feet, you probably assumed that everything that happened to me in SAO was bad but no quite a lot of it was good, better even than what I experienced in the real world." Asuna said as calmly as she could but hints of anger were evident

"Very well then, next, what do you really see in her? are you after her for money she is from a wealthy family after all." Her mother asked Kazuto

"I didn't even know she was the daughter of a CEO, and excuse me ma'am but you could not be farther from the truth. Asuna, she was the only person who partied with me on Floor 1, she showed me kindness, when I didn't deserve it, she has saved my life, figuratively and literally. There are so many reasons I love her, that the real question would be why she still sticks with me, though I can think of several reasons myself" 'I'm not those why she still loves me when there are others better guys, not many have gone through what we have.' He thought that after he answered the question

" Well then, what-" Asunas mom was interupted by her dad.

"Dear, why don't we let them tell us their story."

"Yes mom, please, if you let us tell you, then you might understand."

after thinking about it, her mother irritatedly said "fine"

her father was more calm, saying "Why dont you start at the time you met."

A/N: Yeah, I don't have anything to say other than thank you to all my readers and special thanks to those who favorited, followed, and reviewed. I decided to make another story on my whim called 'Two-Team Tournament', if youd like, go check it out.


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